Daisy Chain Pre-School (Southfields)
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Northampton for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2022. Open since 2000, with 26 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in West Northamptonshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in West Northamptonshire from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
NN3 5LHWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 20 June 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are excited to attend the setting. Overall, they settle well. On occasions when children are upset, they seek comfort from staff, who are sensitive to this and readily offer cuddles and reassurance. Children's interests are ignited and staff skilfully redirect them to help them become fully engaged in play. This contributes to children feeling safe and secure.
Children use their imagination through play. For example, staff build on children's interest in aeroplanes. They use chairs to create a plane and children pretend that they are flying to America to visit Disneyland. Children use their creativity to explore different roles such as the pilot and a passenger. As a result, they are becoming increasingly confident in their self-expression and communicating their ideas.
Children are inquisitive. Older children approach visitors and enquire about their presence at the setting. Younger children smile and show visitors what they are playing with. Children are keen to share experiences with staff. For example, they enthusiastically tell staff how they lost a tooth and the 'tooth fairy' visited them.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- consistently provide children with sufficient time to process and respond to questions n strengthen systems to support staff to develop an understanding regarding all children's next steps in learning.
- 20 June 2022Good
- 1 December 2015Outstanding
- 21 March 2011Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Daisy Chain Pre-School (Southfields)
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.